3 Things You Didn’t Know About Breast Cancer Prevention

The following guest post on patient safety and breast cancer prevention was submitted by Meghan Belnap.

Each year, over 300,000 people are diagnosed with breast cancer. The precise cause of this type of cancer is unknown, but there are certain things that have been proven to increase a person’s chance of getting breast cancer. Most people know that avoiding radiation or carcinogenic chemicals can reduce breast cancer risks, but you may be surprised about these breast cancer prevention tips.

Learn more about possible ways to prevent breast cancer.

Oral Contraception May Be Harmful

According to the American Association for Cancer Research, taking certain types of hormonal birth control pills increases a woman’s breast cancer risk by 50 percent. This occurs because the pills alter hormone levels throughout the body and end up affecting breast tissue. The most dangerous oral contraceptives are ones that contain progestin and estrogen, so you may want to switch to non-hormonal birth control or pills that contain only progestin if you are worried about the possibility of developing breast cancer.

Alcohol Is Linked to Increased Breast Cancer Risks

Medical research has found that even drinking just one alcoholic beverage a day greatly boosts breast cancer rates. Women who have three alcoholic beverages a month are 15 percent more likely to get breast cancer than women who do not drink any alcohol. Alcohol increases estrogen levels, so it can cause estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer to develop. It is also a toxic material that can harm individual cells, and damaged cells are more likely to mutate into cancerous cells.

Eating the Right Foods Does Matter

Preventing breast cancer isn’t just about eliminating unhealthy foods from your diet. Including breast cancer fighting foods to your menu can be extremely beneficial. Foods that contain antioxidants can prevent oxidative cellular damage, and some foods contain compounds that have been shown to kill precancerous cells. Cancer preventing foods to add to your diet include broccoli, garlic, walnuts, apples, flaxseed, pomegranates, and turmeric.

Conclusion

It may be impossible to completely prevent breast cancer, but these things can greatly reduce your risks. If you do develop breast cancer, the key to survival is detecting it and receiving treatment as soon as possible. New developments in radiology make it possible to target areas containing cancerous cells, so it is possible to treat breast cancer without harming the rest of your body. Find more information about these technological advancements online or talk to your doctor. It is important to be aware of any changes to breast tissue and contact your doctor as soon as possible if you notice something abnormal.

Meghan Belnap is a freelance writer who enjoys spending time with her family. She loves being in the outdoors and exploring new opportunities whenever they arise. Meghan finds happiness in researching new topics that help to expand her horizons. You can often find her buried in a good book or out looking for an adventure. You can connect with her on Facebook right here and Twitter right here.